Buried Secrets
by MaryElise
Summary: What happens when Lionel Luthor uncovers Clark's buried secrets?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Buried Secrets Summary: What happens when Lionel finds out Clark's buried secrets? Time line: This takes place after the episode "Extinction" Rated PG-13  
Please R & R  
  
"Hey Lana!" Clark yelled to Lana when she was about 50 yards from him. Lana smiled and said something, but Clark didn't hear her. Instead he turned to see a bullet coming towards him. He reached out his hand to stop it.  
  
The bullet penetrated threw Clark's hand and continued threw the air until it him in his left shoulder.  
  
"AHHHH!" Clark screamed in pain.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Clark!" Lana asked worriedly as she heard him scream. She ran over to him, as he fell to the ground. She turned him over, "Clark? Clark!"  
  
"Ahh...my hand.... ahhh!" Clark screamed.  
  
Lana looked to his hand and saw the blood, and panicked. She stroked Clark's hair, "what happened? CLARK!" Lana was so confused.  
  
Lana went pale when she saw a spot of blood on Clark's shirt grow bigger and bigger. She ripped opened his shirt to see he had been shot.  
  
Lana started crying, her cell phone was in the car, and she screamed, "HELP!"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Jonathan heard a scream, and looked out the window to see Lana's body leaning over Clark's on the ground. Jonathan didn't know what was going on. Why was Clark on the ground? He ran out side up to Lana.  
  
"What's wrong? What happened to him?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"I think he is shot! We have to help him!" Lana yelled threw her tears as Clark started breathing heavier and cried out in pain.  
  
Jonathan struggled to bring Clark into the house and placed him on the kitchen floor as Martha came running, "Oh my God! Jonathan, what happened! Clark!" She said dropping to the ground and stroking his hair.  
  
* * ** * * *  
  
Lana couldn't watch Clark bleed anymore and broke down crying in the Kent's living room. She slumped against the wall, shaking as she sobbed harder than she ever had in her life. Clark was going to die.  
  
Lana got up and raced into the kitchen were she saw Jonathan huddled over Clark.  
  
"It's going to be okay baby, Dad's going to get it out." Martha was saying to Clark.  
  
Jonathan put what looked like a pliers into the bullet wound, as Clark let out a loud gasp of pain, then Clark collapsed back to the floor.  
  
"Clark!" Lana screamed. Martha and Jonathan didn't notice her.  
  
"Jonathan! He's not breathing! Do something!" Martha screamed threw tears.  
  
"Martha, it's in there so far." Jonathan said trying to calm down and focus enough to pull out the bullet.  
  
Lana watched as Jonathan pulled out a bullet and put it in a bowl and Martha carried it outside. Lana turned away in horror when she saw the bullet being pulled out. She couldn't watch. She heard Jonathan whispering words to Clark. She heard Martha crying even harder than her.  
  
When Lana turned around and went over to Clark, he wasn't breathing. But his wound had healed. There was blood on his chest, and Jonathan's hands.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"But how?" Lana asked as she glanced over at Clark's limp body. He was breathing now, and that set everyone at ease a little bit.  
  
"Lana, Clark's different." Jonathan said.  
  
"I kind of guessed... but different HOW?" Lana asked nervous to hear the answer. She knew this was Clark's secret that he had hidden from her for so long.  
  
"Clark can do things, no one else can." Martha said.  
  
"He was infected by the meteors, wasn't he?" Lana asked, knowing that if he was, it would have all made sense. She was a little surprised how the thought of it didn't even upset or shock her.  
  
"No." Jonathan said.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence as Lana and the Kent's exchanged looks of, confusion, and hesitation.  
  
Jonathan and Martha knew they had to tell Lana about Clark, after she had seen his bullet wound miraculously disappear. But they didn't know how, or if they should tell her the whole truth, or if they should just say it was the meteors that had affected him. Finally Jonathan spoke.  
  
"Lana, Clark... was not affected by the meteors. In fact, when he gets around them he gets very ill, that bullet was made of Krypton"meteor rock."  
  
"Then, why is Clark different? How is Clark different?" Lana asked so confused and nervous about what the next seconds held for her, what would she find out? Could she handle it?  
  
"Clark is strong, and he is fast." Martha said trying to make Clark's abilities sound lesser than they were.  
  
"Clark is different because... he is not human." Jonathan said more bluntly than he had intended.  
  
Lana knew by the seriousness and looks of the Kent's that they were drop dead serious. She had not been prepared for this. Being infected by meteor rocks she could handle, grasp, understand... but not being human entirely...  
  
"What?" was all Lana managed to get out.  
  
"The day of the meteor shower, we found Clark, well he found us actually, at first we thought that he was lost, separated from his parents in the chaos. But he looked so calm, and he was so clean, completely naked. We walked around a bit to see if there was any signs of his parents. What we found instead was...was a..." Jonathan didn't know if he should say it.  
  
"What was it?" Lana asked taking in everything she was hearing.  
  
"A spaceship." Martha said softly, but Lana heard her.  
  
"But... I mean... he looks... I...an alien?" Lana couldn't even put together full sentences.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
After an hour of talking about it, Lana was relived to find out that she wasn't freaked... That much. It was like she knew along, and just needed someone to put it into words. Clark was different, always had been, always will be. But it was still Clark, the Clark she loved.  
  
When Clark had gotten shot, Lana swore she felt her heart stop. If Clark died, she would never get over him. He was all she had left in her life. Today had been the worst and best day of her life. She thought she had lost Clark; he had stopped breathing, she thought she would never get to see him smile, not even one more time. But then, the turned around, Clark started breathing again, and she knew that he was going to be okay. That she had him back again, and nothing "NOTHING, could have made her feel that happy.  
  
Lana was snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Clark stir, on the kitchen floor. She immediately went over to him.  
  
Lana started crying when she saw his eyes open. Instinctively, at seeing Lana crying, he sat up and embraced Lana in a hug. Lana hugged him back, "Thank God, you are okay." Lana said as she cried harder.  
  
"I'm okay... it's okay." Clark said holding Lana in his arms.  
  
"Clark, I love you so much!" Lana said resting on Clark's shoulders as he slowly rocked back and forth.  
  
"I love you too." Clark said, going against everything he had done the past few weeks since he broke up with her.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"So you are really alright with it? With me being...different?" Clark asked for about the 100th time in a week.  
  
"Clark, yes!" Lana said truthfully.  
  
Clark couldn't believe that Lana was handling the news so well. She accepted him for who her REALLY was.  
  
Clark couldn't fight it any longer, he wrapped his arm around Lana's waist and pulled her into an intense kiss. Clark caressed Lana's neck while he kissed her, not wanting to let her go. When the kiss ended, Clark was just starring into Lana's eyes.  
  
Lana smiled and said, "Does this mean we are back together?"  
  
Clark only answered her with another kiss.  
  
* * * * ** *  
  
"What!" Jonathan yelled into the phone.  
  
Martha watched him with worried eyes.  
  
Clark was just entering the house, after finishing his farm chores to catch the end of his father's conversation on the phone.  
  
"No! No! You can't! .... He knows... he is.... No! He can't just ...I don't care what he says! I know that ...yah, you bet I'll take it up with him!" Jonathan slammed the phone down on the receiver.  
  
"Dad? What's going on?" Clark asked worried.  
  
"Son...it's about your adoption." Jonathon said angry and scared. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Dad? What's wrong with the adoption?" Clark said suddenly panicked.  
  
"It's... Lionel Luthor. I know it." Jonathon said obviously angry.  
  
"Jonathon... what is he doing?" Martha asked.  
  
"He is saying that the adoption was fake." Jonathon said slamming his fist into the door.  
  
"It is fake... but he did it! Why would he say that?" Clark asked, beginning to panic more by his father's rage.  
  
"I don't know Clark...." Jonathon said trying to calm down.  
  
"He is up to something!" Clark said, "Do you think he knows about me?"  
  
Martha had been thinking the same thing, but didn't want to alarm her son anymore than he already was, "Clark, I don't know... but why would he want to bring out in the open that your adoption was fake, when he was the one who set it up?"  
  
"It doesn't make sense." Clark said looking towards his father for his opion.  
  
"It doesn't matter if it makes sense! He is doing it! The lawyer said that they aren't blaming this mistake on Lionel Luthor, he says that one of Lionel's employees has recently confessed to helping me set this whole fake adoption up 14 years ago." Jonathan revealed.  
  
"What! He can't do that!"Clark yelled.  
  
"Well he is! He has a lawyer coming over later to discuss the matter further." Jonathan couldn't even look at Clark while he said it.  
  
"We will just have to fight it. Can't we say that Lionel set the whole thing up–" Clark was interrupted by his father.  
  
"We can't! Then they will still know that your adoption was a fake and then we will be in the same dilemma as before!"  
  
"Dad, what are we going to do?" Clark asked in a low tone.  
  
"I don't know son..." Jonathon said as he walked out the door leaving only Martha and Clark in the house.  
  
"Clark, don't worry, sweetie, we will figure something out." Martha said trying to calm her son.  
  
"Mom, I'm not so sure." Clark said sitting down on the couch, thinking about how everything just changed in the last 5 minutes.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Jonathon, are you sure you are ready to do this?" Martha said referring to the Lawyer who was due any second.  
  
"Yes, ready as I'll ever be." Jonathan said obviously still rattled.  
  
"Jonathon, you have to try and calm down a little bit." Martha said rubbing his arm.  
  
"Martha, how can I calm down when I might be minutes away from having my son be taken away from us?" Jonathon said collapsing back on the couch. Martha was holding back tears.  
  
"We will get threw this together." Martha said giving Jonathon a kiss.  
  
Clark had over heard what Jonathon has said about them coming to take him away. He didn't think it had gotten that serious already and it scared him. Clark ran out of the house, without his parents knowing he had even heard anything, to the barn.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Lana had just pulled into Clark's driveway and started walking up to the loft, but stopped when she saw Clark slam his fist threw the barn wall, obviously upset. She ran to him,  
  
"Clark, what's wrong?" Lana asked.  
  
"I cause so much pain and suffering to my parents...I should have never came back from metropolis!" Clark said turning away from Lana and heading out of the barn.  
  
"Clark!" Lana said grabbing Clark by the arm and turning him around. "What's going on? Why are you so upset?"  
  
"It's my adoption, Lionel is saying that it was a fake." Clark said looking more upset than Lana had seen since the day he left for metropolis.  
  
"I thought your parents found you in a corn field?" Lana asked confused.  
  
"They did, but my father made a deal with Lionel Luther. Lionel said thank you for my father helping save Lex and get him to a hospital, and Lionel told my father if he ever needed anything to call him. Lionel arranged my fake adoption for me." Clark said looking into Lana's eyes for the first time.  
  
"Oh Clark.... what is going to happen?" Lana asked wishing she could calm Clark down and make him feel better.  
  
"I don't know..." Clark said. "All I do is cause every one around me more pain and trouble."  
  
"No Clark! That is not true, I love you and you bring me so much happiness." Lana said hugging Clark.  
  
Clark just stood there holding on to Lana, not wanting to let her go. He bent down and kissed Lana showing her he felt the same way.  
  
"Thank you Lana." Clark said, stroking her hair.  
  
"For?" Lana asked.  
  
"You always make me feel better... wanted." Clark said giving her a quick kiss.  
  
"You are wanted, Clark... we will get threw this together." Lana said in a calm voice even though she was panicking, would Clark be taken away?  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Get out!" Jonathon yelled at the lawyer. Martha said, "Jonathon, calm down."  
  
"No, Martha I will not calm down, he is trying to take Clark from us. Get the hell out of my house, now! I don't want to see you back here, ever again!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * **  
  
Clark sat up abruptly at the sound of his father yelling. HE looked out the loft window to see Jonathon shouting at he lawyer.  
  
"Get the hell out!" Was what Clark heard the loudest. Lana heard it too. Clark looked back at her on the loft's couch, as if to say 'This is bad... very bad.'  
  
Lana didn't know what to say, but just grabbed Clark's hand and watched with him, as Jonathon yelled more.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
After Lana had left, Clark finally went into the house to see what had happened.  
  
"Dad, what going on? What did they say. Just tell me the truth, I heard you yelling." Clark asked his worried parents.  
  
"Clark, sit down." Jonathan said walking into the living room. 


	3. Chapter 3

"Dad, just tell me straight. Don't try and protect me, I can handle it." Clark said feeling more nervous that he ever had in his whole life. Clark sat down, on the couch opposite to his parents.  
  
"Clark... the way they are saying things..." Martha started to tell clark, but despite clark request, couldn't say it flat out.  
  
"Son, Lionel has everything perfect so that he can have his way." Jonathan said, not knowing himself exactly why Lionel was doing what he was doing.  
  
"And what is it that he wants?" Clark asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think he guesses something about you, about your secret, and wants to find out more." Jonathan said sounding confident.  
  
"But how is doing this going to help him learn about me?" Clark asked not wanting to guess what he was about to hear.  
  
"Clark, you asked me so I'm just going to tell you... Clark, the most likely– no the almost certain outcome from this is... you probably won't be able to live with us." Jonathan said.  
  
Martha looked at Jonathan, a little angry at how blunt he was. He was going to scare Clark.  
  
"But... how can he do that?" Clark said sounding scared, even though he tried to hide it.  
  
"The lawyer we talked to said that I hired one of Lionel employees to fake the adoption, and that he has come forward--"  
  
"But that is a lie! There is no one to come forward if u never did it!" Clark said sounding so naive to Lionel's ways, even though he knew maybe better than anyone what lengths Lionel would go to, to have his way.  
  
"I know! But Clark, it looks bad. Either I kidnaped you or I did it because I wanted a child so bad that I wasn't willing to wait. But Clark, who is going to believe us? We can't say the truth, we will sound even more crazy." Jonathan said showing Clark how bad the situation really was.  
  
"But dad... if they think you kidnaped me, then that means they would want to– dad they aren't going to put you in jail or something are they?" Clark was truly worried now.  
  
"I don't know. But son, don't worry about that." Jonathan said looking down, he couldn't even look at Clark while he said it.  
  
"Dad! I won't let them do it, I can..." Clark thought for a moment, what could he do? Why couldn't he tell them his secret? He could NOT let his father go to jail because of him. He had already caused his parents so much pain and trouble. How much had they given up and sacrificed for him, to hide his secret? And yet how much more were they going to have to deal with? Go to jail for a crime he didn't do, but couldn't even defend himself because he had to protect his son. No, he wouldn't let him do it. "Dad, I won't let you do this. I will tell them the truth, my secret. I can't let you go through one more thing to protect me–"  
  
"Clark! Stop! You can't, I will not let you. Even if you tried all they would do is think you are crazy and lock you up–"  
  
"But I could show them! If I showed the my abilities they would for sure believe me." Clark said.  
  
"No! Clark, tell the world so they could study you! Find your weakness! No, I would rather die then see that ever happen to you. Clark, promise me you won't tell any one your secret." Jonathan said with such strength in his voice, like Clark had never heard before.  
  
But Clark couldn't, he just looked down, unable to meet his father's glance.  
  
"Clark, promise me!" Jonathan almost yelled this time. Clark looked over to see his mother crying.  
  
He caused all this, all this trouble. How many times did his mother have to cry? Cry because of him. All he brought to his parents was pain and suffering.  
  
"Clark, promise me! I know you, I know that you think it's your fault, it's not! Don't even think it, I love you son, but I will not let you do this. You promise me right now that you will never tell anyone about your secret."Jonathan said, his voice cracking.  
  
"I promise." Clark said instinctively, wanting to calm his father's worries. HE had made a promise to his father that he would keep. But he regretting making that promise an instant after he had said the words.  
  
"Son, we will get through this together." Jonathan said as he put his hand on Clark's shoulder.  
  
"Will we?" Clark said angry, "how is that possible when what he have to get through is being separated?" Clark wasn't mad at his parents. No he was mad at himself. He couldn't watch his mother cry, or his father worry due to him anymore, maybe it was better if they never had to deal with him again. "Dad, I' m sorry... I didn't mean to shout I just..."  
  
"Sweetie, it's okay, we know how you must be feeling right now." Martha said hugging Clark.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Clark couldn't sleep, he was out wandering smallville. He ended up in the graveyard, like he had when he first found out who he REALLY was. But he felt ten times worse than he had that night. His life was going to change... for the worse. His parent's life were going ot be turned upside down, because of him. He had to fix it. But how could he? He couldn't tell anyone his secret. Then he knew what he had to do.  
  
Clark didn't use his super speed, no he wanted the time to think, as he walked over to Lana's house at 2 am.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Clark leaned over Lana's bed, and just stood there starring at how peaceful she looked, and how beautiful she was even when she was sleeping. He bent down and kissed her, whispering "I love you Lana, and I always will."  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Lana woke up, having the strange feeling someone was just there, and if it had been even a few weeks ago, she would have just ignored it, but now she knew Clark's secrets, and she knew better 


	4. Chapter 4

Lana got up and walked to her window, "Clark?" She whispered, as she looked out the window. And there he was, walking away from her house. What was going on? Why did he come in the middle of the night and not even wake her? Was it about the lawyer that was there earlier? Lana didn't know, but she did know that she wouldn't be able to sleep without getting some answers. She slipped on her coat and some shoes, and ran after Clark, being extremely quiet til she was out of the house.  
  
When Lana was a few feet behind him, she called out his name , "Clark." she said just above a whisper.  
  
Clark turned around, obviously surprised by her presence. "Lana." Was all he said.  
  
"Clark.. I saw you walking away and I thought that... what are you doing here?" Lana said seeing something was defiantly wrong but Clark's facial expression.  
  
Clark simply filled the gap between them and hugged her, holding on to her longer than normal, leaving Lana with out a doubt that something BIG was wrong.  
  
"Clark, what is going on? Are you okay?"  
  
But Clark didn't say anything, he just stood there as if he didn't even know what to say to a question like that.  
  
"Clark, what did the lawyers say?" Lana asked filling the silence.  
  
Suddenly Clark's expression turned to one of anger.  
  
"They wanna put my dad in jail, and they wanna take me away and I just wanna– "  
  
"Take you away!" Lana looked shocked, "in jail!"  
  
Lana knew the situation, but never thought that it was big enough to do this. She thought the risk was someone learning Clark's secret, not taking him away.  
  
"Lionel is playing his usual games!" Clark said.  
  
"But why?" Lana was still trying to process threw her mind exactly what it all meant.  
  
"I can't be sure but– you know it doesn't matter! Someone has to make Lionel pay, and I'm not going to let him hurt anyone else!" Clark said sounding so angry, Lana thought he had yelled the words. Before Lana could say anything, Clark bent down and kissed her and started walking away.  
  
Lana ran after Clark and grabbed him by the arm. "Clark were are you going?"  
  
"If I don't do this Lana, he will just keep on destroying every ones lives!" Clark said removing Lana's hand from his arm.  
  
"Clark, stop! I don't know what you are planning to do, but don't!" Lana said.  
  
"Why! Why shouldn't I? WHY LANA!" Clark shouted.  
  
"Clark, you are mad, and who knows what you will do. Please... pleas just wait until you calm down." Lana said taking a step back as Clark shouted.  
  
"I won't calm down, Lana! He is going to ruin my father's life! And it's because of me! Unless I stop him! So just DON'T tell me to calm down!" Clark yelled again.  
  
Lana started crying. Clark yelling at her, and seeing him in so much pain made the suppressed tears come out.  
  
"Lana I..." Clark couldn't believe he had just brought his girlfriend to tears. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to yell..."Only then did Clark realize how out of control his anger was making him, after all, Lana was crying because of him... just like his mom.  
  
"Clark, no... I can't imagine what you have been threw... I didn't have th right but... I just don't want you to do something that you will regret..."  
  
"I can't do this anymore."  
  
"Do what, Clark?"  
  
"Keep hurting everyone I love. It was true what I said the day of Lex's wedding, "All I bring to the people I love is pain and suffering." 


	5. Chapter 5

"Clark, no! We love you, you do not bring us pain and suffering." Lana said very worried. This is exactly how it happened last time, before he ran off to Metropolis. But this time she knew everything, she knew his secret and she change it this time, couldn't she?  
  
"Lana, how many times have I made you cry? Made my mom cry, made Chloe cry?" Clark said as if it proved everything.  
  
"How many times have you made us laugh, smile, and make us feel like if we could just stay in the moment, we would be happy forever?" Lana said stepping closer to Clark, and taking his hand in hers. "Clark, everyone gets hurt by the people they love, everyone brings pain and trails... Clark think about it. If you love someone, you are hurt by the things that happen to them. I would be hurt be every person! When people die, it hurts the ones they love. But we can't just run away when because we never want to hurt them. Clark, you make me and your parents so happy. When you left to Metropolis it brought more pain to us by not having you here."  
  
Clark squeezed Lana's hand a little, "I just can't stand to see the people I love hurting, and knowing it's because of me."  
  
"It's not your fault, Clark. How could you have done anything to stop this? Please, just promise me you won't do anything, at least not yet." Lana asked Clark, looking more worried than Clark had ever seen her. He would have immediately said 'yes, I promise' but he had already made a promise tonight that he regretted.  
  
"Lana... I can't stand by and do nothing." Clark explained.  
  
Lana started to panic; he was going to leave again, wasn't he? Or worse...  
  
"Clark! Please, promise me! PLEASE!" Lana had started crying again, her worse fears were beginning to come true.  
  
"I promise." Clark said feeling horrible that he brought her to tears yet again, and hugged her, holding her close, stroking her hair, "I'm sorry Lana, please... don't cry. I' m sorry..."  
  
Lana would have said some more comforting words, or something to REALLY make Clark believe that he did not bring them pain and suffering. But she just wrapped her arms around Clark and cried into his chest as she had so many other times. What would she do if he left again? She could never let that happen.  
  
"Clark..." Lana said looking up at him, "Please, don't leave. Clark, I love you, and so do your parents. I would have died so many times if you weren't here to protect me. Please, Clark..." Lana said her voice cracking.  
  
"Lana..." Clark said turning away, breaking eye contact. Lana recognized this simple action, that might have been dismissed by anyone else, but Lana knew. He had done it when she had confronted him about Van's accusation of him being a 'meteor freak', and so many other times.  
  
"Clark, just wait to see how things work out. Please, I know you and I know that you think it's your fault, that you are doing this to your parents, but you are not, and you have to accept that you can't control everything and learn to deal with it like the rest of us!" Lana said scared and angry.  
  
"But I did do this! You don't understand... no one does." Clark said letting go of Lana and turning away from her.  
  
"Clark, I know, I have no idea what you must feel, but we don't even know how bad it could be yet... maybe this will just pass over, I mean from what you told me at the loft, it basically sounded like your word versus Lionel's. Clark, we can get threw this together." Lana said.  
  
"I'm not going to leave, Lana." Clark said. How could he leave his father in a mess like this? A mess over him. No, if he was going to leave it would have to be after he straightened things out for his parents and Lana, so they could have a normal life. But truth was, Clark didn't want to leave. Lana was his girlfriend now, and his parents and him had never been closer. He liked Smallville, save the meteor rocks, and he didn't want to leave. Was that selfish? To stay because you like it, and cause the people around you trails?  
  
Lana let out a sigh of relief, "good, Clark. Thank you."  
  
"But Lana, I can't just do nothing." Clark kicked a rock on the ground in frustration.  
  
"Well... we will think of something to prevent this. Maybe Lex could get a good lawyer for your family." Lana said.  
  
Clark barely heard the part about Lex and a lawyer. All he could think of was how good it felt to hear a 'we'. That someone he loved knew his secret and would be there for him.  
  
"Thanks, Lana." Clark said giving her a kiss. "I think you just stopped me from doing something really stupid."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Lana?" Chloe said looking relieved as she put down her toothbrush, "Where were you? I was worried that maybe something happened to you." Then Chloe started laughing, "sorry, I didn't mean to sound like my dad."  
  
"I was out with Clark." Lana said looking at the clock that read 5:24 am.  
  
"oh" Chloe said utterly shocked.  
  
"no, we didn't ... Clark was having a really bad time, we just talked..." Lana said now embarrassed.  
  
"What's wrong with Clark?" Chloe sensing it was more than a 'bad day' by Lana's tone of voice.  
  
Lana didn't know if she was supposed to say anything but decided it was alright, "Well... Lionel is making up lies, and conjuring false witnesses."  
  
Chloe felt her stomach turn just hearing Clark and Lionel's name in the same sentence, "witnesses for what?"  
  
"He is trying to say that Clark's adoption was fake, that one of his employees lied for Jonathan and made the false adoption papers. That either Jonathan kidnapped Clark or he did something to adopt Clark illegally, I donno, it's all really confusing to me."  
  
"Oh My god, how is Clark doing?" Chloe felt like if Clark ever found out she was investigating him for Lionel, he would probably kill her.  
  
"Not going... really bad." 


	6. Chapter 6

"Lex, I need your help." Clark said as his best friend was pouring himself a glass of scotch.  
  
"Clark, what wrong?" Lex asked noticing the Clark's stressed tone.  
  
"I'm surprised you haven't heard yet." Clark said trying to hide the anger he felt for Lionel, and not take it out on Lex.  
  
"Heard what? Clark, what's going on?" Lex asked.  
  
"It's your dad. He is trying to put my dad is prison and me... who the hell knows where he wants me to go!" Clark said failing badly, in hiding his anger.  
  
"Whoa, slow down. Explain." Lex asked.  
  
Clark filled Lex in on all the events of the past few days.  
  
"Clark, I had no idea about any of this. How long has my father been building a case against your father?" Lex was angry too.  
  
"I have no idea. But Lex, I need your help. My dad can't go to jail." Clark had trusted in his best friend so many time before, and Lex had gotten him out of situations that seemed impossible, but this time, it didn't seem like even Lex could fix it.  
  
"Clark, you have my word, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop this. I'm really sorry." Lex said feeling half responsible, after all it was his father. Why hadn't he seen earlier what he was planning  
  
· * * * * * ** *** ** **  
  
"Alright Lex, I got your message. Now what is so urgent?" Lionel said sounding annoyed.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Lex said coming form upstairs to the lower level, to face his father.  
  
"What are you referring to?" Lionel said, not even making one of his witty remarks. He had only seen Lex this angry a few other times in his life.  
  
"The Kents! A false adoption?" Lex said slamming a few papers down on a desk close to Lionel.  
  
"Aw yes, it's unfortunate. The employee who helped him has been fired." Lionel stated.  
  
"I know you are behind this. Why would you go to so much effort to conjure up a false witness? What do you have to gain? Or is it solely because Clark is my friend?" Lex knew his father so well, he could usually understand his twisted motives, but this was not one of those times.  
  
"I'm offended that you would accuse me of such a thing. I'm not going to cover up something like this just because you have some sentimental reason in the matter." Lionel said. "Now, Lex, if this is all you brought me here for-"  
  
"You knew I would stop you! Otherwise why would you go to such lengths to prevent me from finding out! You waited until you had everything in place, until your case was a guaranteed guilty, until you even told Jonathan Kent! But don't think I' m just going to back down! I'm going to fight you on this, every step of the way!" Lex said.  
  
"Don't waste your time, son. But I think you are paranoid, do you really think I have any interested in such a trivial matter?" Lionel said, but he said it with a smile, leaving Lex with no doubt he was behind it. "Really son, an adoption case for a farm boy?" Lionel said as he exited the room, leaving Lex even more angry.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Hey" Lana said as she walked up the barn stairs up to the loft where Clark was sitting.  
  
"Hi Lana." Clark said without the least bit enthusiasm.  
  
"So I take it, it didn't go so well with Lex's lawyers?" Lana said sitting down next to Clark on the small couch.  
  
"Lex tried, but there wasn't much he could do. I mean the there was a witness, who is pleading guilty and is being sentenced to 6 months in jail for- I don't know the exact term- for making the fake adoption papers. No one can find out where I came from. No one ever put me up for adoption as far as they can tell, but yet I was mysteriously adopted. It's a miracle Lex doesn't already think my dad kidnapped me." Clark said with a sigh.  
  
"Don't worry, Clark, Lex is a powerful man, he will figure out a way." Lana said.  
  
"and Lionel is more powerful." Clark said it, and Lana knew it was true.  
  
"One day at a time." Lana said and she kissed Clark. But each day grew harder.  
  
Only thing Lana didn't know was that the very next day was going to turn out to be the hardest day 


	7. Chapter 7

"Dad, but how can they do this so fast? I mean... there hasn't even been a trail, or whatever it is! I don't know!" Clark shouted frustrated and angry. "How can they do this!"  
  
"Clark, they haven't said I did anything yet... but in these cases well..." Jonathan said trying to calm Clark down, when he really wanted to just go and kill Lionel.  
  
"Dad, I know, just say it. We are going to lose no matter what."  
  
"It's Lionel Luthor we are up against, and he has a solid case, we need a miracle to get out of this one. But Clark, things could be worse." Jonathan said.  
  
"How? How could they be worse? I might be able to ever see you guys again!" Clark yelled.  
  
"Clark, you will see us again. You just might not be able to live with us. We will get threw this, we have faced worse." Martha said trying to comfort her son.  
  
"Clark, at least no one knows your secrets." Jonathan said putting his hand on Clark's shoulder.  
  
"Ya, and you could be put in jail..." Clark said mad at himself for promising he wouldn't tell anyone.  
  
"Clark there is one more thing I should tell you..." Jonathan said trying to hide his anger.  
  
"What?" Clark asked not wanting to know the answer.  
  
"Lionel definitely knows about you. When they were talking about blood samples, fingerprints, and DNA test to see if you were a match for any missing children–"  
  
"Lionel was there!" Clark asked furious.  
  
"No, I didn't mean Lionel himself, but one of his lawyers made a phone call, and I'm certain it was to Lionel, and then he was insistent that it wasn't necessary and would only waste time and 5 other reasons why they shouldn't do it. They judge looked at him weird, but seeing as it was his case and that if you watched any missing children it would have made his case, as if he needs the help anyways, so they are not allowing any of that from you." Jonathan finished.  
  
"So, he knows about me. At least he doesn't want to expose me. But that scares me more, what is he up to?" Clark said wondering exactly what Lionel had in store for him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Clark, how are you doing? Lana told me what's been going on." Clark said surprising Clark in the loft.  
  
"Hey Chloe.. I'm doing okay I guess." Clark really didn't feel like seeing any one right now.  
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Chloe felt so guilty, and maybe she was, maybe some of the information she gave Lionel– no she wasn't doing this, he was.  
  
"I don't think anyone can. Lex tried, but Lionel has everything planned out so perfect." Clark said looking out the loft window.  
  
"Clark what I don't understand is how this can be moving so fast? It hasn't even been a week since you found out about ... and it seems like they are ready to just... take you out of here." Chloe was trying not to be so blunt, but couldn't help it.  
  
"I know... it makes me so mad! Did you know that today they could! They are just waiting to decided what will happen with me! I just wanna..." Clark had to calm down. "But the worst thing is that they are almost certain they are going to put my father in jail! He didn't do it Chloe!"  
  
"I believe you Clark." Chloe was sensing he wanted to be left alone, "If you need anything, I'm here."  
  
"Thanks, Chloe." Clark put on a fake smile as Chloe left.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Clark, for now just go along with what they want." Martha said, "WE don't want any more problems."  
  
There was a knock at the door, "I'll get it." Jonathan said getting up.  
  
"Mom, we can't let Dad go to jail." Clark said thinking that was someone at the door for Jonathan.  
  
"Clark, don't do anything. Please, not yet." Martha said reading Clark's mind.  
  
Jonathan came back into the room, "Clark, there are some people here who–"  
  
"Clark, can you come with us?" It was the sheriff who spoke, but the lawyer, Clark recognized, was Lionel's. But there was also a man who Clark didn't know.  
  
"No." Clark said getting up from the table.  
  
"Clark, I'm with social services and all we want is to–" Said the 3rd person Clark didn't recognize.  
  
"All you want to do it take me away from my parents." Clark said not hiding his anger.  
  
"Clark, please, just come with–" the man said as he took Clark by the arm.  
  
"Don't touch me! Get the hell away from me!" Clark said taking a step back.  
  
Martha and Jonathan panicked, this was exactly what they were afraid of. Clark was going to do something like this.  
  
Clark turned and went out the back door. The men followed him, but Clark didn't use his super speed, but he ran very fast away from the farm.  
  
"I'll get in the car and find him." The sheriff said and she left the house. Of course no one found Clark, but Clark was looking for someone else.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Where is he?" Clark yelled as he entered Lionel Luther's office.  
  
"How did you get in here, young man?" The secretary said looking at Clark in panic, she knew there was tight security in the building.  
  
Clark ignored her and opened doors and looked in the rooms. He knew Lionel was here somewhere, he checked every where else.  
  
"What are you doing? You can't go in there! Security!" She yelled from behind her desk. Out of a room, 3 body guards came out. Clark saw past them into the room, and there was Lionel in a meeting, it looked important. Clark pushed one of the guards aside and slide past the other too, he didn't want to hurt them. He entered the room and slammed the door behind him. There were 6 other business men in the room along with Lionel.  
  
"Get out!" Clark screamed. The men all looked panicked. "I said get out!" Clark picked up one by the shoulders and pushed him out the door, and the rest followed, but Clark glared at Lionel. "Don't move."  
  
As soon as everyone was out of the room. Clark moved the long table until it was up against the door, and locked it.  
  
"Lionel! Why are you doing this?" Clark asked walking towards him.  
  
"Doing what?" Lionel asked.  
  
"Don't play with me! We both know what! Why are you doing this to my family? What do you want?" Clark was even more disgusted at Lionel smiled at him. He knew Clark's secrets, or guessed as much, why wasn't he scared of him?  
  
Lionel just stayed silent.  
  
"Why! I asked you a question!" Clark yelled.  
  
"Clark, this is pointless, there will be 20 security guards here in a minute." Lionel said. Clark was way to angry to realize what he was getting himself into, or to even care.  
  
"Leave my parents out of this!" Clark screamed, "Whatever you want from me, leave them alone."  
  
Lionel didn't say anything, just smiled again.  
  
"What do you want from me?" Clark screamed and punched a whole threw the wall and threw a chair threw the wall, and it went completely threw the wall. For a second Clark thought he saw fear in Lionel's eyes, but then he saw satisfaction. What am I doing? Thought Clark.  
  
"Clark, you have information I want to know." Lionel said.  
  
"What?" Clark said trying to calm down, but it wasn't easy, it seemed like everything Lionel did only made him more mad.  
  
"There is more to you than meets the eye." Lionel smirked.  
  
"If I tell you what you want to know, will you leave my parents alone?" Clark asked.  
  
"If you cooperate, I'll make sure Jonathan stays out of jail and that your farm stays out of debt. Martha will be safe. They won't have any more troubles." Lionel said convincing.  
  
"Why should I believe you?" Clark asked.  
  
"Because it's the only thing you have. Your father will go to jail, they will lose the farm, you will be put into foster care, and possible juvi, for this little stunt right here." Lionel smiled.  
  
"Dammit! You son of a bitch! You tricked me! You knew I would come!" Clark said angry at himself for being so stupid. "What do I have to do?"  
  
"You tell me what I want to know, and cooperate. You don't have much time to decide." Lionel said looking at the door.  
  
"Alright!" Clark said furious. "But I swear Lionel, if you don't keep up your end of the deal, I'll–"  
  
"I will, Clark, just remember Clark, don't double cross me, you keep your promise." Lionel said.  
  
"Lionel, not everyone is a lying bastard, I'll keep my word." Clark said with disgust. But Lionel just chuckled.  
  
6 body guards smashed threw the door and the table in front of it, they all had guns and were pointing them at Clark. "Step away from him!"  
  
"It's okay." Lionel said, walking over and lowering their guns.  
  
"You can go." Lionel told them  
  
"But who is this? You know him?" Asked the guards.  
  
"It is none of your business. News of the incident shall not get out, do you understand me?" Lionel asked.  
  
"Yes Mr. Luthor." He replied as they all exited the room.  
  
Lionel walked over to Clark, "Clark, you will not have any more contact with your family, do you understand?"  
  
Clark was just realizing what he had signed himself up for. "Yes."  
  
"You will tell no one of our arrangement." Lionel said.  
  
"What! You just expect me to ... without telling any one, not even my parents." Clark couldn't alienate all of his friends and family.  
  
"They will think it's part of the adoption case." Lionel said.  
  
"Were will I go?" Clark asked.  
  
"I will give you an apartment near here. You will continue to go to school." Lionel said, and Clark knew that he had this all planned out.  
  
"Let me tell my parents." Clark insisted.  
  
"NO! You can never tell them. If you do I will–"  
  
"Alright! But I'm telling Lana." Clark said as if what he said was final.  
  
"No! Clark, you will do as I say, you will not tell anyone!" Lionel said getting angry.  
  
"She already knows. She isn't stupid! She will I came here! So will my parents. I told Lana that I was..." Clark immediately regretted bringing Lana into it. But Lionel surprised him.  
  
"You make sure Lana keeps her mouth shut, or I will. But you do not tell your parents."  
  
"Don't get her involved." Clark said, feeling a little uneasy about how easily he let Clark tell Lana.  
  
"I didn't, you did. I won't hurt her Clark, she will stay out of this, if she keeps quiet." Lionel said with... compassion? No, impossible.  
  
"If you hurt any of them, I will kill you." Clark was so mad, all he wanted to do was kill Lionel right then, but he couldn't.  
  
Lionel ignored his threat, "Go home, I'll send someone from social services to your house tomorrow, you will go with them, you will not tell your parents, and no one will know about any of this. I'll tell you more tomorrow." Lionel said exiting the room.  
  
"Dammit!" Clark said punching another hole in the wall. 


	8. Chapter 8

"Clark... I'm sorry sweetie, I know this is hard on you." Martha said hugging Clark as he entered the house. "I'm glad you came back, I didn't know if–"  
  
"Mom, I would never do that to you guys again." Clark said once again feeling the guilt of having caused them pain.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Martha just stepped aside gesturing for the social worker to come inside. Martha was not offering an hospitality towards them, even though it was like shooting the messenger, she couldn't fake politeness.  
  
"Thank you Mrs. Kent." The woman looked like she was in her late twenties- early thirties. Martha didn't respond but simply lead her into the family room where Clark was.  
  
"You must be Clark." The woman said holding out her hand, "You can call me Elizabeth."  
  
Clark shook her hand politely.  
  
"Mr. Kent." Elizabeth said holding out her hand to Jonathan, who didn't shake it, but said, "Let's just get this done."  
  
"Alright, I need you to fill out this form and sign... here" She said pointing to the bottom of the page, and then flipped the paper over and page, "and here."  
  
Jonathan took the papers from her, "why do you need my signature?"  
  
"It's to verify the acceptance and–"  
  
"My acceptance!" Jonathan said very coldly.  
  
"It's mostly to show that you understand what's happening here." She said looking down. Jonathan skimmed over the paper and signed it, along with Martha.  
  
"I'll give you a few minutes, take as long as you want." She said kindly stepping outside.  
  
"Clark..." Martha said fighting her hardest against tears. "You know, no matter where you are, I'll always love you and be thinking about you."  
  
"I know, mom." Clark said hugging her as she started breathing harder. "I will always love you guys. I'm sorry for everything I've put you threw–"  
  
"Clark, don't be sorry, I'm not." Jonathan said taking his turn to hug his son good-bye. "You are the best thing that ever happened to us." They held each other a little longer and Clark said,  
  
"Dad, Mom, you have always been there for me, my whole life, keeping me safe, saving my life, making me feel loved and feel normal. I'll always be there for you." Then Clark headed towards the door and just before walking out said, "I love you guys." and then he shut the door and they watched him walk to a car with Elizabeth.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Clark let out a sigh as he closed the door behind him. He wanted to cry, but he had to be brave for his parents and for himself.  
  
"I'm sorry." Elizabeth said giving his arm a small squeeze. "I know it must be hard."  
  
"Oh ya..." Clark said taking one last glace at his parents threw the window and headed towards the car.  
  
"If you ever need someone to talk to..." Elizabeth said once they were in the car. Clark knew she was just trying to be nice, and probably was a nice person but he didn't like her for multiple reasons. She was like the final blow to sever him from his parents. Clark knew Lionel wasn't going to hire a regular social worker, she undoubtedly worked for him.  
  
"Why would I ever trust you?" Clark said angry. He immediately regretted his hostility towards her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you, I am just mad."  
  
"You don't need to apologize to me, I know what you are going through. In fact I should be apologizing to you. I didn't become a social worker to do this type of thing." Elizabeth said, and Clark knew she meant more than what she said. She was apologizing for working for Lionel. But of course no one could even mention Lionel's name.  
  
"It's okay, he has a way of making everyone do what he wants, weather they want to or not." Clark said regretting his words. If he hadn't been so upset, he never would have said it.  
  
"Who?" Elizabeth's face went into mild shock and understanding.  
  
"No one." Clark signed and buried his face in his hands.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Clark, I am dropping you off here. Someone will meet you here and show you were you will be staying."  
  
"Alright." Clark said as they went threw a security gate. He didn't recognize were he was, and he thought he knew all of Smallville. She opened the door and Clark saw 4 large men and another car waiting for him. She grabbed his arm, as he started to get out of the car, "I really am sorry, Clark." as tear rolled down her cheek. Clark nodded and put a fake smile on, then got out of the car.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
If Clark had been on vacation, and not being taken away from his parents, he would have been in awe at what a nice apartment he was staying in. It was even decorated to his style, and somehow all his stuff was there and more. New clothes, Big screen TV, DVD player, Stereo, Every kind of game system, everything Clark always wanted but couldn't afford. Now it meant nothing, it was all a bribe.  
  
"What do you think of the place, Clark?"  
  
Clark was startled, thinking he was alone in the apartment, turning around to find Lionel. Clark just pushed past Lionel.  
  
"You didn't tell anyone." Lionel stated.  
  
"I told you I wouldn't, and I didn't have much of a choice did I?" Clark said angrily.  
  
"Clark.... don't make this any harder." Lionel said.  
  
"I'm not. Now, why are you here." Clark asked.  
  
"You will not tell Lana anything. She is not to come here, and none of your other friends are either. If they ask you are now staying at this address." Lionel said handing his a piece of paper. "It's a group home."  
  
"Fine." Clark was not going to hurt his friends by bringing them here if Lionel didn't want it.  
  
"I'm really sorry it came down to this Clark." Lionel said. Clark was surprised by how genuine it sounded.  
  
"No you're not. You planned this perfectly." Clark said coldly.  
  
"You will go to school as normal, It's only 5 blocks from here. Stay here until we have further discussed the situation. Tomorrow morning, I'll have some one stop by, we will begin our first session."  
  
"Session?" Clark asked a little scared.  
  
"Don't worry Clark." Lionel said exiting the room.  
  
How could I now worry? Thought Clark. 


	9. Chapter 9

Clark woke up in the strange bed truly depressed for the first time. He had been sad, but most of it was anger. Now it all hit him, waking up were no one knew he was. He was lying to everyone he loved, to protect him, and even though he knew it was right, he couldn't help but feeling completely alone, like he never had been.  
  
I don't have to be alone, I can visit my friends, Clark told himself, but he knew that things would never be the same with his friends again, even Lana. He could never be completely honest to them. Lana would know he was lying to her. He could never let them get too close, because he loved them.  
  
Clark stayed in bed 20 minutes just lying there, remembering happy times with his parents and with Lana. He got out of bed and looked at the clock- 5:37am. Clark was used to getting up early to the farm chores, and felt guilty. He thought of his dad having to do it all alone. No, Lionel would make sure they were fine, I don't trust Lionel, but he will keep his word, after all he has to, to get the information he needs from me. Then Clark was suddenly scared, one word echoed in his head....  
  
Session..... Session..... Session.....  
  
What are they going to do to me?  
  
Clark was trying to take his mind off it and went to go see if there was food in the small refrigerator in the apartment sized kitchen. Clark found he couldn't eat anything, it was like the food was tainted, it came from Lionel. Clark slammed the frig shut, he wasn't eating any of that food.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
At 8am on the dot Lionel and a body guard walked in. Clark just sat on the couch, ignoring them.  
  
"Good morning Clark." Lionel said in a somewhat devilish tone.  
  
Clark turned off the TV, even though he wasn't watching it.  
  
"Don't act like we are friends." Clark wanted to kill him so bad. 


	10. Chapter 10

Lionel signaled his guards to wait outside the door, which struck Clark as odd. Was he actually trying to prevent them from knowing what they were about to discuss? Clark didn't think he could ever understand Lionel's mind. Lionel slid a key card threw a slot in the wall, which was covered by a bookshelf. Clark would have laughed at that, except he was so scared of what was going to happen to him, he felt like he was truly trapped for the first time in his life.  
  
A door opened and Lionel entered a code and another door opened into a room bigger than the apartment itself. It was mostly steel floors, and walls. It brought up unwanted memories of hospitals. Clark shuddered, he just wanted to turn and leave. But he knew Lionel would make him pay threw his parents, Lana, Chloe, Pete, all his friends. A thought of hope popped into Clark's head. Maybe Lex would notice, or discover what his father was up to... just maybe, it was a long shot though. Wasn't Lionel scared I would do something to him? He knows how strong I am... and who knows what else he knows I'm capable of, but yet, he goes in alone, without his guards.  
  
Lionel gestured for Clark to sit down on a couch against the wall, and he sat opposite of him.  
  
"What are we doing?" Clark asked.  
  
"Clark, tell me what happened the day I was attacked. You said the man who shot me missed, but I had a team all over this place and they found nothing. But I found something..." Lionel pulled out 3 smashed bullets. Clark recognized them. While he was under the influence of red kryptonite for the first time, he had shot himself in the hand 3 times, to scare a man into telling him who he was and what he wanted.  
  
"He missed..." Clark knew he agreed to this, but he could not just tell Lionel.  
  
"Clark! We had an agreement, I know you know what really happened! Tell me now!" Lionel burst into a rage so quickly, it frightened Clark, who Lionel could never hurt.  
  
"I..." Clark was debating weather to tell him or not... what was he going to do with this information? So far he hadn't told anyone... but he already so much. "I shot myself in the hand."  
  
"And you were unharmed?" Lionel asked with great interest in his eyes.  
  
"Yes." Clark looked down, he could stand looking at those eyes.  
  
"What else can you do?"  
  
"Nothing... I'm just strong... Lionel, I'm not what you think... I'm not..." Clark was so uncomfortable under Lionel's piercing eyes.  
  
"You are bullet proof, extremely strong... what else?" Lionel asked.  
  
"Nothing. That is all I can do." Clark said.  
  
"You are not willing to cooperate, and until you do, you will have to face the consequences." Lionel yelled and got up.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean." Clark asked getting angry at the threat.  
  
"I will not keep my end of the deal, if you don't keep yours." Lionel said as he opened the door that led back into the apartment, "Stay out of here."  
  
Clark returned back to the apartment and Lionel left, but before he did he said, "If you want to tell me anything, you can call this number." And he handed him a cell phone with a number already stored in memory, and left.  
  
Clark was relieved and scared. What would Lionel do? But Lionel laws gone... for now.  
  
* * * * *School on Monday * * * * *  
  
"Clark!" Lana said dropping her books as she saw Clark sitting at a computer in the torch. Clark stood up to meet her in a hug. "I was so scared... I didn't know what happened to you, you parents said you went to a foster home, but you would have told me... and then your parents weren't aloud to have the number and-"  
  
"Lana, it's alright. I'm fine." Clark said trying to convince her. "I'm sorry, I'm just... not really allowed to call anyone..." Clark lied.  
  
"Why not?" Lana asked.  
  
"Well... because... the family I'm staying with knows that there is a lot of... well they just don't want a lot of trouble." Clark mentally kicked himself for sounding so unsure of himself.  
  
"Clark, what's going on? What aren't you telling me?" Lana said breaking their hug.  
  
"Nothing! I'm just a little upset right now." Clark said, and it was true, but it still felt like a lie, and it broke his heart to lie to Lana again, it was like taking 12 huge steps backwards in their relationship.  
  
"I'm sorry Clark... I didn't mean to..." Lana felt so guilty about accusing him of being dishonest.  
  
"No... don't be sorry." Clark said as he leaned down and kissed her, really kissed her, leaving her breathless. "I've missed you."  
  
"It felt like a lot more than 2 days." Lana said feeling better, "So are you alright? Do you want me to come over-"  
  
"NO!" Clark said immediately regretting it, as he saw the hurt look on Lana's face, "I mean ... like I said before, the people I'm staying with don't want any trouble."  
  
"oh." Was all Lana could say. The bell broke the awkward silence between them.  
  
"I have to get to 6th." Clark said making an excuse. He kissed Lana on the cheek and then left the torch, leaving a confused Lana behind. But Clark felt so guilty and he ditched 6th and 7th period and just started running and running. He wished he could erase himself, because everyone one he knew, was going to get hurt because of it. Clark found himself back at the apartment, as much as he hated it, he had no where else to go. He missed his parents, and he wanted to tell Lana the truth, when she obviously knew he was hiding something from her, He had barely spoke two words to Pete since the whole thing happened to protect him, things were awkward between Lex and him seeing as it was his father, and Lex felt guilty he couldn't do anything to stop it, and Chloe had been avoiding him, just as well, Clark thought, she would only get hurt.  
  
Clark turned on the local news and caught a glimpse of his father, which quickly caught his attention. The story was about a rapist, but as the camera scrolled the prison, he saw his father.  
  
Clark shut off the TV and began to look for the cell phone Lionel had gave him. HE found it under the couch and entered the number and Lionel himself picked up. "You lied to me! You promised you would keep my father out of jail!"  
  
"Clark, are you forgetting that I would keep him out of jail on the condition that you cooperated." Lionel said, and Clark could hear him smirk through the phone.  
  
"Get and keep him out of jail, and I'll tell you what I want to know." Clark hung up the phone and punched a hole in the wall.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"... and that is all of it." Clark said feeling horrible. He had just told Lionel everything he was capable of. His, X-ray, heat vision, super speed, everything.  
  
"Clark, how do you have all these.... These abilities?" Lionel asked.  
  
"I... I guess I'm just different. I've been strong and fast since I was a toddler, and the other abilities came separate, one at a time." Clark said.  
  
"How did Jonathan get you?" Lionel inquired.  
  
"Get me?" Clark didn't understand what he was asking.  
  
"I faked your adoption papers, so there was no real adoption and you certainly aren't their real son." Lionel explained.  
  
"Um... they found me the day of the meteor shower." Clark answered.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
The weeks went on, and Lionel met with Clark once or twice a week and asked him a million questions, and Clark always told him the real answers. Lionel knew practically everything, but Clark never mentioned Jor-El, or the spaceship. He didn't know why he felt like he couldn't, but he learned to trust his instincts. Lionel assumed Lana already knew all this, and once he asked "Who else, besides Lana and your parents know about you?" Clark lied and said no one, he would never tell him that Pete knew. He was already scared for Lana.  
  
Lana had been really supportive and even though she knew he was keeping things from her, she never yelled or got angry with him, and it mad it all the harder, seeing how good of a person she really was. Clark went over to Lana's house a few times, but he never went anywhere else. He was nervous about visiting Lex because he might slip up, or Lionel would get angry and think he had told Lex. Clark missed his parents so much.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Clark stuck the key into his apartment door and walked in, and was shocked to find Lana sitting on one of his couches.  
  
"Lana, you have to leave, it's not safe... how... it doesn't matter, he will go after you and-" Clark freaked out.  
  
"Clark... Lionel sent me here. He told me the truth of where you have been staying and why." Lana wiped a tear from her face.  
  
"Why would he do that?" Clark wondered. After all he was the one who had forbid him to tell anyone, including Lana, about what was really going on 


	11. Chapter 11

Clark filled the gap between them and hugged Lana, "please, don't cry. I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you but-"  
  
"Clark, I understand. You do not have to apologize to me! You have been going threw so much all by yourself! I should have seen... I knew you weren't telling me something, but I didn't know what and... I love you so much Clark. I can't believe you went threw all this by yourself." Lana said kissing Clark.  
  
Clark was so relieved Lana was not angry at him. So Lionel must have told her the REAL truth. "Lana, I'm just glad you know. What exactly did Lionel say?" Clark asked, wanting to set any lie he might have told, straight.  
  
"I was the Talon, and when he came in, I was so mad, because of everything he has done to you, and I started walking into the back and he grabbed my arm and said that he needed to tell me something about you. I guess I was hoping he could tell me what you weren't. But I was just so angry, I yelled at him to get out. He gave me a number to call him later, and he left. At first I thought I would never call him, but when I did... he started asking me questions about you, and I wouldn't answer and yelled at him again, 'So this is all you wanted! You were hoping I would tell you things about Clark!' then he apologized and it seemed sincere and he told me that you were living in an apartment that he had gotten for you. He said he knew all about your abilities, that you told him, that you had a deal. You would stay there, and tell him everything he wanted to know, and that you couldn't tell anyone. And in exchange he kept your father out of prison and made sure your family would be alright." Lana finished.  
  
"Wow... he really told you the truth." Clark was scared. He didn't know why Lionel would do this, what was he planning? "Lana, I don't know what Lionel is up to... be careful. Don't talk to him. Don't go any where he wants you to.  
  
Clark spent the rest of the evening with Lana, in his apartment. He felt like this huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Like he wasn't completely alone anymore, and that he owed that to Lionel. Clark felt angry at himself for feeling grateful to Lionel, after all he had done all this to him in the first place.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You sure were out late!" Chloe laughed as Lana strolled into their room at half past midnight.  
  
Lana smiled at Chloe, but gave her no explanation.  
  
"Alright, keep your secrets." Chloe joked.  
  
"It's not a secret, I was out with Clark. We were just talking and watching some TV, and I didn't realize how late it was."  
  
"So are things better between you too?" Chloe really hoped they were, she felt so guilty.  
  
"Yes, a lot better." Lana couldn't help but smile. "I could ask you the same thing."  
  
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked nervously.  
  
"You have been avoiding Clark for over a month, ever since he moved." Lana said taking off her shoes.  
  
Chloe just looked down.  
  
"Chloe, come on, what's going on with you guys? Clark thinks you are just uncomfortable, and don't know what to say to him, but I know better." Lana sat down on the bed next to Chloe.  
  
"Lana, I did something really horrible." Chloe said with tear filled eyes. "and I'm afraid if Clark finds out, or you find out, you are going to hate me forever. I just can't face him." Chloe needed to tell someone what she had done, or it was going to eat her up alive.  
  
"Chloe, I'm sure you could never do anything that bad." Lana said putting her arm around Chloe, trying to comfort her, she looked so completely depressed. "You can tell me."  
  
"Lana, you don't know HOW I got that column at the Daily Planet." A tear fell from Chloe's cheek. "I never knew it would cause so much trouble. I tried to get out of it... after Lex's wedding, I agreed to give Lionel all of the information I had on Clark, and he would get me the job."  
  
Lana tensed up, "What did you tell him?"  
  
"Nothing he didn't already know. I don't know why he was so interested in Clark. But when I heard that Lionel was the one who was behind all this..." Chloe had to stop, from her tears, "I just felt so guilty, Lana, because in a way I was part of destroying his life. Clark has been a good friend to me, and I was hurt because...well and I just acted stupid... and maybe because of me... Lana, he can't even see his parents."  
  
Lana was shocked. She hadn't expected that. Even though she KNEW that anything Chloe had given Lionel, didn't change anything, it was just the fact that she had betrayed Clark like that. Part of her wanted to yell at Chloe, and the other part wanted to tell Chloe it wasn't her fault. She looked like she was in so much pain already.  
  
"Chloe, it's not your fault. What you did was..." Lana was trying not to get angry, "You have to tell Clark."  
  
"Lana, I can't. He will hate me."  
  
"You have to." Lana wanted to tell her to stop being a coward, but resisted.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Get them out of here." Clark groaned in pain, as he referred the meteor rocks Lionel had brought in to their latest 'session'. When Lionel didn't seem to make any effort towards his request Clark said, "You know those will kill me, get them out of here." Clark said falling to his knees on the floor. "Please."  
  
"Come in, and do it quickly." Lionel said to 3 people who were waiting outside the door, a doctor and his assistant, and Lionel's body guard.  
  
"What are you doing?" Clark asked struggling against the pain. 


	12. Chapter 12

"What are you doing?" Clark said, in pain, leaning against the couch. "Clark, we just have to get some samples, and this is the only way." Lionel explained.  
"Stop it." Clark said. He didn't care about there 'samples', they were deliberately putting him in pain.  
"Do it." Lionel said. Two doctors came over next to Clark, with the meteor rocks. One took a blood sample, and skin sample, the other was taking a DNA test, swabbing his mouth. Clark tried to keep alert and follow everything they were doing, but the longer the meteor rocks were exposed to him, the harder it became just to stay conscious.  
"Lionel, stop....it's too much." Clark said using the last of his strength. "They only have to do a few more things." Lionel said.  
The last thing Clark saw was a female doctor taking a hair sample, and then it went black, for what seemed like 3 seconds.  
Clark woke in an all to familiar hospital bed, only it was in the lab, connected to his apartment. Clark shot up out of bed, ripping the cord monitoring his heart beat off.  
"Whoa! Settle down! Don't get up-" A doctor said. "What... I was only sick because you exposed me to Kryptonite! I don't need all this." Clark said getting out of the bed, angry.  
"Clark, I'm sorry... I didn't know it... worked that fast." Lionel said entering the room, when he heard voices.  
"You knew what it did!" Clark said pushing past Lionel into the apartment. When Lionel followed him in, Clark yelled "Get out!"  
(Clark's POV) To his surprise, Lionel left with his crew. It seemed so strange to him. Lionel actually apologized... and then he left when I asked him to. That isn't Lionel! He is never...considerate of other people's feelings. Then again, I'm not a person, not technically. Wait... what am I saying... he is the one who did everything to me! He could have killed me, and he was fully aware of it.  
It's all getting to me, I haven't seen my parents in 2 months, Pete and I can't talk anymore, he knows I'm keeping secrets again, and I just wish he knew why, Chloe is avoiding me, and every time I'm with Lex all he does is ask questions that I can't answer.  
I need Lana. Where is the phone?  
Clark thought as he rummaged around the apartment looking for it, finally finding it under the couch.  
He dialed Lana's number.... "Chloe, is Lana there?" "Um, Clark, no..." "Okay, do you know where she is?" Clark needed her bad. "I think she is probably at the Talon right now, she said she had to pick up a few things and then head over for her shift." Chloe said nervously.  
"Okay, thanks Chloe" Clark hung up; he didn't want any more awkward conversations with Chloe, not now.  
Clark locked the apartment, as always and super speeded to the Talon. "Hey, Tiffany, do you know if Lana is here?" Clark said spotting Lana's friend.  
"Ya, she is in the back, Clark." Tiffany said. "Thanks." Clark said already behind the counter.  
"Sure Clark." Tiffany laughed as she carried her orders to a customer.  
  
"Lana?" Clark asked as he swung open the door to the Talon's back room. Just then, Lana came around the corner, crashing into Clark, knocking over some boxes she was carrying. "Oh my gawd, Clark! I didn't even see you! I'm sorry!" Lana said as Clark helped her up, and picked up the boxes. "Sorry, that was my fault." Clark said pulling Lana into a hug. "God, I missed you." Clark bent down and kissed her passionately. Clark couldn't help but laugh as Lana blushed.  
"I missed you too. You alright? I hadn't heard from you in a couple days and I was beginning to worry, because I called your apartment earlier and no one answered." Lana said giving Clark another quick kiss.  
"Oh, ya I'm sorry. I know I said I was gonna be there, but Lionel kinda swung by with a surprise session." Clark said rolling his eyes, in an angry tone.  
"Clark, what happened?" Lana could tell Clark wasn't okay by his tone. "Nothing." Clark didn't want to tell Lana, she worried about him way to much as it is. "Clark, come on. It's me. What happened?" Lana asked.  
"I don't know, I just got pissed off, cause he knows! He knows, Lana!" Clark said getting more upset than he wanted to.  
"Knows what?" "That the meteor rocks make me sick." Clark said.  
"What! Clark, did he hurt you!" Lana said, gripping Clark tighter. "I'm okay, Lana."  
"He hurt you, Clark! It's why your upset." Lana said as she felt her anger rising too, wanting to hurt Lionel how he was hurting the man she loved the most, it was bad enough he was mentally torturing Clark, but now he starts with physical abuse.  
"Lana..." "Clark, what did he do to you?" Lana needed to know.  
"It wasn't that bad, I just... I don't know! I mean it sounds crazy, but I haven't seen my parents in two months, and I guess with him being around... I told him all my secrets, and I just felt... I wanted to trust him, Lana. I'm so stupid. So I guess that is why I just got to mad." Clark couldn't look at Lana, he hated himself for what he just admitted, but he could tell Lana anything.  
Lana was a little shocked. She never even once imagined Clark trusting or liking Lionel, was that what he was telling her? How could he even begin to, Lionel destroyed his life. Clark and his parents were so close, she couldn't even image how painful it must have been for him, how painful it is, not seeing them and talking to them. But so bad that he would somehow want Lionel to fill that void? NO! Lana, stop thinking this! He didn't say any of that... just that he wanted to trust him, but still...  
"Clark, I'm sorry." Lana hugged him tighter. "I just wanted to see you." Clark said as he kissed her again, "thanks, you always make me feel better."  
"Clark, I still have 2 hours on my shift, I get off at 11pm, two of the waitress are sick But it's Friday, we can do something after." Lana hated to make him wait 2 hours, who knows what he just went threw? But she couldn't leave.  
"Sounds good." Clark said, he really didn't care what they did, as long as he was near Lana, he was fine. "I think I'll just hang around here 'til you get off."  
Lana laughed, "You are really gonna wait two hours for me." It was Clark's turn to blush, "It's not like I have anything I'd rather do."  
"Okay, Clark." Lana let out a little laugh as they headed back out, and Clark plopped himself down in a booth. Lana gave him one last kiss, and walked over to a table and started taking orders.  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Clark woke up to Lana kissing his neck, and he met her lips and kissed her. She seemed happy, and was laughing, "Looks likes someone fell asleep!" Lana teased.  
The Talon was closed up and him and Lana were the only ones left. "I can't believe I fell asleep, but I haven't been sleeping very well lately." Clark said noticing that Lana was sitting on his lap. Clark wrapped his arms around her and couldn't contain the huge grin that was rapidly sweeping across his face.  
"What are you so happy about?" Lana teased. "I've got the prettiest girl in Smallville in my arms and... she is ticklish." Clark said as he began to tickle Lana.  
"No! Clark stop!" Lana laughed as she jumped off of Clark "Stop!" Lana was laughing so hard her sides hurt. Clark had pinned her on the ground, "Mercy!" Lana yelled.  
"Ok" Clark said as they both became aware of the position they were in, Lana on the ground and Clark directly on top of her.  
Lana laughed again, and bridged the gap between their lips, kissing Clark, as their tongues played together.  
Clark completely lost himself in Lana. He began kissing her neck, as he rubbed her back, his lips returning to her mouth.  
Lana let out a small moan, "Clark, so what do you want to do?" She knew if she didn't stop now, she never would.  
"I don't care." Clark said getting up. Lana just loved seeing Clark smile how he was now. Lately she barely saw it anymore.  
"A midnight movie, or something?" Lana suggested. * * * * * * * * * * * *  
(Next day)  
  
"It's such a beautiful day, Clark! Let's go for a walk or something!" Lana loved the sunshine streaming down on her.  
"Lana, we are walking!" Clark teased her. "Right." Lana said as they continued walking down the streets of Smallville towards the Talon. "So... the dance is coming up in like a month.... are you up to it?" Lana asked Clark, enjoying the feel of his arm around her waist, for everyone to see that they were a couple. Clark stopped walking though, "Clark?"  
Lana looked at Clark and saw utter sadness. He was smiling half a second ago, "Clark?" Lana looked in the direction Clark was staring and saw the Kents coming out of a store less than 12 yards away.  
  
(Clark's POV)  
  
There they are...mom, dad! I just wanna hug them. I didn't think that just merely seeing them would be this hard. It's a miracle I haven't run into them for this long, after all this is SMALLville. I should just go hug them... NO, I can't... it will drag them into a big mess and I can't talk to them, or see them, so why make it harder... they can't get involved in my mess...  
"Clark, are you ok?" Lana says. "No." I honestly tell her.  
Oh, no! They are coming towards me, looking straight at me. Ah, gawd... this is gonna be so hard... it feels so unnatural.  
"Clark." My mom says, she sounds like she is on the brink of tears. "Son, how are you?" MY dad says as he put his hand on my shoulder. I can't make things worse for them. I pull away.  
"I'm fine." I say almost emotionlessly, coldly. My mom is crying now.... I'm hurting her more...  
"Mom, don't cry." I hug her. I'm being selfish, this will only lead to trouble for them. "I can't talk to you." I say as I begin to walk away.  
  
(Jonathan's POV)  
  
"Clark, wait!" He can't just walk off; we haven't even so much as written each other in 2 months.  
"No." Clark says as he grabs Lana by the arm and walks off. What has happened to my son? I look into his eyes and I see no emotion. If he hadn't of hugged his mother I wouldn't have known it was Clark at all. He seems so troubled. It breaks my heart just watching him walk away from us. I know we aren't supposed to contact each other, but running into each other isn't the same thing. It's not like there is a restraining order.  
I saw him about a month ago coming out of the feed store. He didn't see me, but I watched him. He was so rude to people. He has changed for the worse.  
What's going on with him? I just want to know, because something doesn't fit. I called his school, and after much pleading his principle told me that I'm not his legal guardians, so I wasn't supposed to know any information about him. But he did tell me that Clark's grades have drastically gone down hill. Clark has also been much more aggressive lately. Much more than that, he wouldn't tell me. But I got the feeling there is a lot more.  
What the hell is happening to my son? It's almost as If he is on red Kryptonite, but I know he isn't, or by now he would be back to robbing banks and ATMs.  
Martha is a mess, she is severely depressed. She never goes out, she stopped baking, and she stays in bed until 11, most mornings. She needs something only Clark can give her.  
I need to talk to Lana; she is the only one who really knows. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Clark walked into school, skipping first period. He really didn't care anymore, if he skipped, Lionel took care of it. Kids were scrambling to 2nd period, and Clark bumped into a kid, practically knocking him over, and kept walking past him.

"Hey!" The kid shouted at Clark, Clark turned around finding himself face to face with Pete. "Clark? I haven't heard from you in two weeks. Are you okay?"

Clark didn't know why, but he hated Pete right now... no, he hated that he had to lie to him, but it was easier to just be angry and not think about it.

"I'm fine." Clark said as he was going to walk away again, Pete grabbed his arm,

"Clark, what is going on? Come on, you can tell me. I tried to give you some space at first, but it's obvious you aren't going to let me in. What's your deal?" Pete said trying to be considerate of his friend.

"Just stay out of it." Clark said getting angrier.

"No, you're my best friend" Pete grabbed Clark's arm.

Clark just threw Pete away from him, sending him to the floor and walked away.

Clark decided he was going to confront another one of his "friends".

"Hey Chloe" He said as he walked into the torch smiling.

"Hi Clark... what are you doing here?" Clark had quit the torch when he moved out of his parents house. "I mean, not that I don't want to see you, I just-"

"Really? You sure you don't want to see me? I mean, because we have only talked about 4 times since I moved, 2 months ago." Clark said, watching Chloe's reaction. She froze up a bit, and he walked closer to her, "What's the matter Chloe? Are you trying to hide something from me?" Clark almost whispered in her ear.

Chloe was close to tears, "What would I hide from you?"

Clark laughed, "Hmm... let's think... what could you be hiding from me?" Clark walked around Chloe, "If it comes to me, I'll tell you." Clark started to walk out of the torch, and just before he left, he turned and said, "Oh, and Chloe."

"Ya, Clark?"

"Lionel says hi." And Clark exited the torch.

Chloe felt her heart drop, and she felt like she was having a panic attack. It was so hard to breath...

"Chloe, are you feeling okay? You don't look so good." Lana said walking up to her.

"Lana, ...Clark...knows." Chloe could barely get out, between deep breaths.

"Knows? Knows about...." Lana hoped for Chloe's sake, that she was the one who told him.

"He knows about me and Lionel... I don't know how he knew... I was going to tell him, Lana, but I just couldn't and now he knows..." Chloe was freaking out.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&

"Clark!" Lana called out to Clark, catching up to him after school.

"Hey, Lana, are you going to come back to my place?" Clark said putting his arm around Lana.

"Sure, I have to stop by the Talon first. Clark, how long have you known about Chloe and Lionel?"

Clark was surprised, "How long have you known?"

"Chloe told me 2 weeks ago, and she said she wanted to tell you herself."

"I've known for 2 months." Clark said calmly.

"You knew..." Lana didn't understand Clark, he was so... calm about the whole thing.

"Ya, I wanted her to tell me, but she obviously wasn't going to."

"Clark, you don't seem mad."

"Well, Chloe is officially in my past now. I'm not going to hurt her by staying friends with her, letting her get close. Lana, Lionel is a very persuasive person... it was a weak moment for her. Don't get me wrong, When I first found out, I wanted to kill her, I blamed her for Lionel finding out the truth about me. But it's not her fault." Clark explained.

"I'll see you after later." Clark kissed Lana and walked away.

&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&

"Lana." Jonathan said, as she walked into the Talon, "I was hoping to run into you. I need to talk to you about Clark."

"Mr. Kent, um... sure." Lana was nervous, but sat down.

"Clark has changed... something more is going on with him, Lana. I know you know what it is... please, I need to know." Jonathan said.

"I only know as much as you." Lana lied.

"Lana, please. He won't even speak to us, you saw how he was to us the other day on the street. He...his grades are worse. I have reason to believe there are other incidents in school. It's more than just the transfer, we both know how strong and brave Clark is."

"Mr. Kent..." Lana could see the pain in his eyes, "He loves you, he just..."

"What Lana?" Jonathan grasped for information.

"He is just going threw so much and he doesn't want to hurt you." Lana felt as though she was betraying Clark, just by saying that much.

"What's going on with him, Lana?"

"Mr. Kent, if Clark was seriously in trouble, I would come to you." Lana looked at him. Jonathan knew she knew the whole truth, and that if Clark was in real trouble, she would contact him.

"Alright, Lana." He walked out frustrated.

&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&

"What are you doing here?" Clark asked Lionel, as he walked into his apartment.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened last week." Lionel said.

"Oh, you mean how you almost killed me, I don't really see what part you want to talk about."

"Clark, I didn't mean to hurt you... I didn't know the meteor rocks worked so fast on you... I never would have done it, but I was desperate." Lionel sounded to vulnerable, Clark had never seen him like this before.

"What do you mean desperate?" Clark sat down.

"Clark... I'm dying. I have a rare liver disease and... I thought that maybe something inside you could save me." Lionel confessed.

"So... you mean, you did all this, brought me here, so I could save you. Lionel... I honestly can't save you. I can't heal people." Clark didn't understand why he felt sad at this news, or why he wanted to help Lionel. He should have been so happy to hear he was dying.

"I just had to see... I'm sorry for what I did." Lionel exited the apartment. Clark was so confused. Lionel Luther had just apologized to him, and in a small way regained his trust. After so many speeches of "survival of the fittest", he had actually regretted hurting him.

&  
&  
&TBC


End file.
